Fundraiser T-shirts help officer and share the message of a community that's #LPDstrong

T-shirts are $20 each and can be purchased by emailing LPDstrong@gmail.com

By Jessica Benes

Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Posted:
03/25/2014 04:10:11 PM MDT

Abby Holbrook flexed her small muscles on Tuesday while proudly showing off an #LPDstrong T-shirt that artists have designed as a fundraiser for a Loveland police officer.

Eight-year-old Abby is going to the hospital for her seventh surgery on Tuesday and feels an affinity for officer Garret Osilka, who was shot in the line of duty on March 2 and had surgery before being released from the hospital about one week later.

When she heard that two wives of men on the police force were organizing a fundraiser to help with Osilka's expenses, Abby wanted to be a part of it. She picked up a T-shirt on Tuesday in support of the officer.

Osilka was shot on March 2 during a routine traffic stop.

Abby Holbrook of Loveland, 8, and her mother Carrie Holbrook, show off their strong pose Tuesday while wearing the T-shirts they bought in honor of Loveland police officer Garret Osilka who is recovering after being shot in the line of duty. Kerrie Ertman and Deanna Sloat are selling the shirts to raise money for Osilka's expenses. (Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Abby was diagnosed in 2007 with transverse myelitis, or TM, which causes lesions on the spinal cord.

The community stepped forward to donate money to her cause in January at a dinner and silent auction benefit. They raised $2,400 toward her medical expenses. Read more of her story here: http://rhnews.co/1l1TGlp.

Now Abby wants to step up and donate to someone else.

"When Abby heard about what had happened, she was really upset and wanted to do something nice for Officer Osilka," said her mother, Carrie Holbrook. The family is close with Loveland Police Chief Luke Hecker.

Abby wrote Osilka a letter and got him a pin of St. Christopher, patron saint of protection. Abby gave Hecker the gifts to bring to Osilka.

Advertisement

A couple days after Osilka left the hospital, he visited her at home.

"He was very sweet to her," Carrie Holbrook said. "He is recovering but still came to visit her."

Osilka gave her a teddy bear, which she named Brave, "So I can think of someone when I have my surgery like Officer Osilka," she said.

"He was brave so now you can be brave," her cousin April Ocasio told her. Abby's surgery on Tuesday will fix a broken lead in her pacemaker.

Kerri Ertman and Deanna Sloat, who are both wives of officers with the Loveland Police Department, organized the T-shirt fundraiser to raise money for Osilka's expenses while he recovers.

Ertman designed a badge for the back of the T-shirt with "Loveland Police Officer 173" written inside around a red heart. The number is Osilka's badge number. On the front of the T-shirt, Ertman placed the hashtag #LPDstrong. That hashtag can be used on Twitter to show support.

The money will help with expenses and any complications down the road. Any extra money will go to the Loveland Fraternal Order of Police Benevolent fund, which supports police officers around the country.

The organizers have already received orders from people in Florida (where Osilka used to work), California, South Carolina and Japan.

"They are stepping up," Ertman said. "The police lifestyle is unique. You may never know that officer, but if something happens you are brothers in blue."

"And you just know that they've got your back. Once people find out about it, most of the officers will step forward in support," Sloat added.

To order a T-shirt, email contact information and sizes to LPDStrong@gmail.com. T-shirts are $20 each and a Paypal account is being set up to process orders.